In your opinion.. What makes a great hostel versus a bad hostel?

[Guest]

SOMEONE TOLD ME: The friendliness of the other people staying there at the time, particularly in the common areas.

[Marina]

It depends on what you mean as great. Clean, safe and friendly staff is a rule. Then other facilities provided as well as party place or cozy hostel.

For me a great hostel is always defined by the people who are running it.

How friendly and helpful they are.

Because hostel is a home away home.

[Nino]

Its the vibe. I’ve stayed in hostels up and down the price range and it always comes down to the people who are staying there or how the owners/ employees of the hostel interact with the guests. In my first backpacking trip ever, I went really cheap on hostels but it was great because I was meeting people everytime.

Since then, I’ve tried different hostels over the years and found that there should be a balance of people, friends or strangers, to share the experience with, and the relative comforts that enhance your stay, such as working bathrooms, no bedbugs, working ac, etc.

I once stayed in one of Bangkok’s best rated hostels at the tail end of one trip and i was like ‘meh’ despite the almost hotel level of comfort and the people staying there. The staff were indifferent to everyone and I almost moved to another hostel.

[Jaimee]

Location, Vibe, facilitating socialising (bar crawls, walking tours, games nights, etc.), cleanliness, amenities, helpful and friendly staff.

When hostels are actually designed for travellers needs rather than just being a place to sleep, that’s what makes them great.

It’s really the little attention to detail stuff that makes the difference between a good hostel and a great hostel.

Things like having a shelf in the shower and also a spot to hang your clothes/towel without them getting wet (bonus points if the shower cubicle is split into shower and changing area so you have a dry area to change). A light and power sockets in each bunk and block out curtains so you have a little privacy. A mattress that’s relatively comfortable. When they have stairs to get up to the top bunk instead of a ladder that’s the best thing ever.

Metal lockers that aren’t right on the ground (helps keep bed bugs out of your stuff). The kinds of things that show they’ve thought about what it’s like to live out of a backpack. I’m of course willing to pay a bit more for places like that.

[Jo Keene]

The other guests.
And decent size lockers and WiFi in all areas.

[Kolby]

Finding one that matches what you're looking for. Party hostels are totally fine if that's what you're into, quiet hostels are totally fine if that's what you're into too.

[Connie]

Cleanliness and friendly, helpful staff. If those two are sorted it will be pretty good. After that comfortable communal spaces and facilities like pools, tour bookings etc.